


that’s where you’ll find me

by JENGEORGE



Series: Look Beside You [2]
Category: The Sandlot (1993)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-28 16:00:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16726494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JENGEORGE/pseuds/JENGEORGE
Summary: It’s been nearly four months since the first time Scott kissed Benny and there’ve been hundreds of kisses since then; but every time they get a few minutes of privacy, a thrill still rolls through Scott that he gets to have this with his best friend.





	that’s where you’ll find me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [carolinecrane](https://archiveofourown.org/users/carolinecrane/gifts).



> For Caroline, who I have loved for even longer than this damned fic has been sitting in my docs.

Scott stops to catch his breath before knocking on the Rodriguez’ front door.  He’d seen their car drive down the street a little over an hour ago, but his mom made him wait before going over. “Goodness Scott, give them a chance to unload the car and get in the house before you go barging in.”

She might have been able to stall him, but she couldn’t stop him from running all the way here.  Benny’s been gone for six days, visiting family over the holiday, but it’s felt more like six weeks.

Mrs. Rodriguez answers the door and smiles.  “I thought you’d have been here by now.”

“I wanted to, but Mom made me wait,” Scott answers honestly.

Mrs. Rodriguez’s smile gets even bigger as she holds the screen door open so Scott can come in.  “I sent Benny to return the cooler we borrowed from the Simpsons.  He should be back in a few minutes.  You can wait in his room if you want.”

“Thanks,” Scott calls out as he makes his way down the hall.  Before he gets too far, Benny’s mom says, “I need to phone your mother about New Year’s.  Do you want me to ask her if you can stay for supper?”

Seeing as Scott’s only plans for the rest of the day are to spend it with Benny, he tells her that’d be great and thanks her again before he goes to wait in Benny’s room.

Benny’s suitcase is open on the floor, clothes thrown haphazardly around the room.  A pile of what must be his Christmas presents are stacked on the end of his bed.  Scott’s tempted to look through it, but Benny’ll be back soon enough to show him.  The leather conditioning kit Scott gave him before he left is sitting on top of the pile right next to his most prized possession, his ball glove. 

Scott walks over to sit on the bed and picks up Benny’s glove.  He runs his fingers over the soft leather and grins.  Benny had been thrilled with his present and Scott still flushes when he thinks about the night he’d given it to him.

It’s been nearly four months since the first time Scott kissed Benny and there’ve been hundreds of kisses since then; but every time they get a few minutes of privacy, a thrill still rolls through Scott that he gets to have this with his best friend.  Ham seems to fall in love with a new girl every other week, and Yeah-Yeah goes into panic mode anytime a girl he likes even hints at the word “boyfriend”.  But Scott can’t imagine a time when he  won’t have this, wouldn’t want this.  Not that he’s said that out loud, but he thinks Benny knows it.

He and Benny have been _ScottandBenny_ —inseparable friends, confidants, and conspirators—for a long time, and how they are now has only made it better.   Not that it wasn’t a little weird at first.  Both of them spent a lot of time trying to deny how they felt and convincing themselves that acting on those feelings would ruin their friendship.  Once they finally figured things out, it took a while to not be scared that every tentative kiss, every slight touch, would wreck everything.

It’s not like that now.  It didn’t take long before quick pecks good-bye turned into longer kisses of hello, then became heated kisses whenever they could get away with it. Kisses, wet and open mouthed that make Scott weak in the knees and frustrated when they have to end.  Sometimes they get so caught up it’s easy to forget that there are other people in the house and that anyone could walk in.  A few weeks back—on the very bed Scott’s sitting on—Benny kissed him so thoroughly, his hands so distracting, pushing under his shirt, that they almost missed hearing Benny’s dad walking down the hallway calling out to see if they wanted to go with him to Mercer’s Hardware.  That was a close call, but none more so than last week when Benny had stayed over and they exchanged gifts before Benny left.

Benny came to sleep over the night before they left for Sacramento to visit his Aunt Sal’s family over Christmas. Neither were very happy about it—they haven’t been apart for more than two days since Scott’s dad decided it would be an excellent idea for the family to go camping for a week at  Yellowstone two years ago—but it’s not like they had any say in the matter. 

Scott was stunned by the Ernie Banks baseball card Benny gave him.  It had to have cost him plenty, but at least it helped Scott not be too embarrassed by how much he’d spent on Benny’s present.  When he saw the kit in the window at Arnold’s Department Store, he knew he had to get it for Benny even though it cost more than what he’d spent on his mom and dad combined.

They sat in the Smalls’ living room, Scott’s dad reading the paper and his mom watching Ed Sullivan, but there was no mistaking how much Benny wanted to lean over and kiss Scott to thank him.  And Scott completely understood the feeling, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it, so instead he reached out and gave Benny’s shoulder a squeeze. Benny glanced slyly over at Scott’s parents and then reached out and gave Scott’s _thigh_ a quick squeeze before pulling away to watch the television. Thanks to that, Scott spent the next hour trying to hide from his parents just how affected he was by the touch, and to not smack the smug smile off of Benny’s face.

It felt like forever before his mom announced it was time for them to turn in as Benny had to leave pretty early in the morning.  If he didn’t know better, he’d think that his mom had deliberately hung around; helping set up their sleeping bags on the floor in Scott’s room, pulling out towels for Benny from the bathroom closet, standing in the doorway until they both slid into their bags, then telling them goodnight and not to stay up too late, before she finally turned off the light and shut the door.

They laid in silence for a few minutes, listening to Scott’s mom’s footsteps on the stairs and then the sound of her straightening up the living room before bed. 

Benny shuffled closer, then a warm hand landed on Scott’s chest.  “Thanks for the glove kit,” he whispered, shifting so that he was looking down at Scott.  “I really like it,” and then leaned down to kiss Scott, slow and perfect.

And Scott wanted to say _I’m glad_ or even _thanks for the baseball card_ , but as soon as he opened his mouth, Benny’s tongue was in it, hot and insistent.  After that, Scott wasn’t thinking much of anything besides _yes_ , and _closer_ , and _Benny_.

Scott’s hands tangled in Benny’s hair to pull him even closer, and he thrilled at the low moan Benny made in the back of his throat.

Benny kissed him like he’d been waiting all night to do it; his tongue mapped every inch of Scott’s mouth, then kissed along Scott’s jaw, down his neck, and then back up to crush his mouth against Scott’s.

Scott’s hands left Benny’s hair to run down his back, and Benny shifted even closer.  And they must have looked sort of ridiculous, both of them still in their sleeping bags, but then Benny moved so that he was practically lying on top of Scott.  And even through layers of flannel and padding, he felt Benny’s erection against his thigh. And— _god_ —Scott couldn’t hold back the gasp he made or control the way his hips lifted. 

Benny panted hotly against Scott’s neck as his hips pushed back in response, and it was too much and not enough; Scott’s head was spinning, and he desperately wished the sleeping bags were out of the way so he could feel Benny properly…

The sound of the bathroom door opening brought them both crashing back to reality and, frozen, they just stared at each other. Benny’s face close enough that, even with only the moonlight coming in the window, he could see how dark and desperate Benny’s eyes were. 

They stayed like that as they listened to the sound of footsteps in the hall, but when they heard the tell-tale sound of the creaky floorboard outside of Scott’s door, Benny flung himself off of Scott and a few feet away as fast as he could. 

Scott turned and closed his eyes, feigning sleep just as his door opened.  And he was pretty sure it was his mom checking on them, but there was no way he was even going to so much as crack an eyelid to find out. Their sleeping bags were a mess, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it.  His heart pounded so loud he was sure the neighbors could hear it, but he managed to stay still until he heard his mom’s soft sigh and the snick of the door closing.

He hadn’t dared breathe until he heard the door to his parents’ room close, and even then he was afraid to make too much noise as they were just across the hall from him.  Scott heard Benny let out a shaky breath, but neither dared to move any closer to the other after such a close call.

He heard Benny shift around and Scott figured he was turning over to go to sleep.  But when he heard the quiet hitch in his breathing and the steady sound of fabric rustling, Scott’s face blushed hot as he figured out what Benny was doing. 

The erection Scott had been trying to ignore twitched almost painfully and when he _pictured_ what Benny was doing his hand moved automatically into his pajamas.  He no sooner pressed the heel of his palm against it when Benny released a low moan and that was all it took before Scott was coming in his underwear. 

Scott laid there for a few moments, processing the shock of what they’d just done.  It wasn’t like they could move to get cleaned up, not after pretending to be asleep less than five minutes ago.  They were going to have to sleep like this; damp, and sticky, and well…perfect.  He found himself unable to care and smiled to himself in the dark room.

When Benny’s hand slid across the carpet Scott reached out and threaded their fingers together. 

“You’re killing me, Smalls,” Benny whispered, and Scott had to bury his head in his pillow to keep his laughter from being heard by his parents.  Pleased and content, Scott drifted off to sleep still holding Benny’s hand.

Unfortunately, Scott hadn’t even been able to so much as kiss Benny goodbye the next morning, his mom coming in to wake them bright and early so Benny had time to get cleaned up and eat breakfast before his family needed to leave.

He’s spent plenty of time replaying that night in his mind over the past week and even now, while he waits for Benny to come home, he needs to take a few steadying breaths to get himself together.  He wonders if Benny took his glove and kit with him, if he’s thought about that night as much as Scott has, if he’s missed him as much as he’s missed Benny.  Will things be awkward between them now?  Scott doesn’t think so, but he’s never had so much on the line.

Just then he hears the Rodriguez’s screen door slam and he stands in anticipation.  He hears Benny say something quickly to his mom, and then he’s there, standing in the doorway, smiling at Scott like he’s the best thing he’s ever seen.

“Hi,” Benny says as he crosses the room, his stride quick and sure.  Scott barely gets a “Hey,” out before Benny’s right in front of him, wrapping his arms around Scott to pull him in for a hard kiss, any worries Scott had melting away.

Scott thought he knew how much he missed Benny but until this moment, he hadn’t been able to fathom just how much. He pushes hard into the kiss, trying to convey just how glad he is to see Benny.  It’s amazing, and he’s losing focus on just where they are when, as if reading his mind, Benny pulls away with a gasp and darts a quick look at the door.  Both of Benny’s parents are home and his brother’s bound to be lurking around somewhere, but Benny just lets out a slow exhale and leans his forehead against Scott’s, his hands running down Scott’s arms to his twist their fingers together.

“God, I missed you,” Benny whispers.  “This was the longest week of my _life_.”

Scott smiles in understanding.  “I missed you too,” he answers. Daring to press a quick kiss to Benny’s lips he adds, “So much.”  He means it.  They stand there another moment, before Benny takes a step back.  Scott squeezes his hand then lets go.

“Sorry I wasn’t home when you got here.  Mom had stuff for me to do.”

“She told me.  I’m surprised you didn’t take the car,” Scott teases.  Benny got his driver’s license last month and usually finds any excuse he can to drive.

Benny gives Scott a sheepish smile.  “I tried, but Dad said there was no reason to waste gas to go two blocks.  I think Mom would have let me.”

Scott’s not so sure about that, but he nods sympathetically. Scott still has a month to go before he gets his license and he figures he’ll be the same way.

“So how was your Christmas?”

Benny smiles and pulls Scott down to sit on the bed.  “I survived,” he laughs, then begins digging through the pile of presents beside him.  “It was weird not being at home Christmas morning, but I got some neat stuff.”

He shows Scott the gifts he got from his aunt and uncle, the little gifts his cousins bought him, and he proudly presents the new Louisville Slugger his parents gave him.

“I can’t wait to really try it out.  My dad threw me a few balls while we were out there,” he says, then adds, shock obvious in his tone, “but my cousins aren’t really into baseball, so I haven’t had a chance to really see what she can do.”

Scott can only imagine how hard it must have been for Benny to not play ball while he was away.  “So what did you do while you were there?”

“My cousin Ricky and his buddies all play basketball,” Benny answers, saying _basketball_ like it’s a dirty word. “I spent a lot of time at the courts watching them play, but they were pretty good guys, for the most part, so hanging out with them wasn’t too bad.”

Scott knows if it were him who’d had to go spend the week hanging out with cousins he barely knew it would have been a pretty lonely week.  But Benny’s always been the kind of guy who can make friends with anyone and who everyone likes.  Scott supposes that’s why there’s still a part of him that can’t believe Benny wanted him— _chose_ him—for a best friend. 

“At least they were nice, even if you were kinda bored.”

Benny nods.  “Yeah, it could have been worse.  It was better than hanging out with my cousin Rina who spent the entire time I was there trying to get me to go on a double date with her friend Janelle.  Every time she talked to me, it was Janelle this and Janelle that. The guys had a field day teasing me.”  With a scoff he adds, “Girls. That’s all they ever think about.”

Scott’s skin prickles at the thought of Benny going on a date with anyone.  He knows there are a lot of girls at school who would love the chance to go out with Benny, but it’s easy to explain away why Benny doesn’t have a girlfriend around here since everyone assumes it’s because he’s obsessed with baseball.  But those guys, they don’t really know Benny.  What would they think?

“How did…I mean, what…”  

“It wasn’t a big deal,” Benny interrupts, nudging Scott’s shoulder.  “It became pretty clear pretty fast that Ricky’s got a thing for her; he’s just been too big a chicken to do anything about it.”

Scott’s relieved for Benny’s sake, but that doesn’t stop him from worrying what might have happened if Ricky hadn’t provided a good excuse for why Benny wasn’t interested. 

Scott’s been wondering what will happen as they get older.  He remembers how Benny’s mom had set him up with Susan.  Will they have to start going out on dates?  Scott’s not so worried about what people think about him; well, he wonders what his parents would think if they knew, but Benny…what if he gets a real shot at playing in the big leagues? 

Scott’s heard how his dad’s friends talk.  He’s heard the jokes about _queers_ and _fags_ they tell when they come over to play cards.  How they tease each other with words like _cocksucker_ and _pillow-biter_. How they gossip and speculate about some of the men they know, calling them depraved; unnatural.

It’s hard to listen and not say anything.  What he has with Benny feels like the most natural thing in the world.    Scott’s dad’ll usually tell them to knock it off if he sees Scott hanging around, but he doesn’t know what that means or what his dad would say if he knew that they’re making those jokes…well, about Scott. 

“Hey,” Benny says softly, pressing his shoulder up against Scott’s and looking like he’s trying to figure out where Scott’s mind has wandered to. “Really, it was fine. Stop worrying and tell me about your Christmas.”

Scott shakes his head to dislodge the concern that has crept in and finds a smile to let Benny know he’s okay.  It’s easy to not worry when it’s just the two of them alone together.

Scott tells him about his Christmas and all about the new Olympia typewriter his folks got him.  Scott knows that the other guys would laugh if they heard how excited he was to get a typewriter of his own for Christmas, but he knows Benny understands how important writing has become to Scott.  How having a typewriter of his own means not having to spend extra hours at school holed up in the crowded space the school newspaper staff shares.

Benny sits close and listens as Scott goes on about all the features his has versus the ancient machine he’s been using at the school to write up his articles for the Sports page right up until Benny’s mom calls them for dinner.

“Come on, Smalls.  You can tell me more about it after we eat.  I’m starving.”

Scott blushes at the realization that he’s been talking Benny’s ear off, as well as probably boring him to death and quickly apologizes for both.

“Nah, it’s cool.  I know how much you’ve wanted one.  It’s like my bat; you gotta have the right equipment if you’re going to be a professional.”  Benny stands and holds out a hand to pull Scott off of the bed. 

Scott’s always appreciated Benny’s confidence that both of them are going to be successful in the things they love. That he believes in Scott as much as Scott believes in Benny.  He gives Benny’s hand a quick squeeze before letting go and heads out to the dining room.

Eating with the Rodriguez’s is as comfortable as eating at home; he’s done it so often.  He even has his own spot at the table—right next to Benny—just like Benny has at Scott’s house.

Dinner is delicious, as always, and Scott lets himself relax into the familiarity that he has missed this last week.  He’s letting the hum of conversation wash over him as he tucks into his meal so he almost misses Benny asking his mom if Scott can stay over.

Of course, Scott’s mind goes straight to the last time they had a sleepover and he doesn’t dare look up so as to try to hide the dark flush that’s rushed to his cheeks.  He stares at his plate as Benny’s mom says it’s fine as long as they stay out of her way.  She has _a lot of unpacking left to do and the house won’t dust itself, you know_?

He’s just managed to get himself together and look up when Benny’s hand squeezes his knee—just for a second—and _crap_ , the blush is back.  He’s going to kill Benny.

Scott refuses to look in Benny’s direction, instead pretending to listen intently as Mr. Rodriguez complains about how the unseasonably warm weather is going to make him need to mow the grass already.  Scott’s dad actually _did_ mow the grass—at his wife’s insistence—on Christmas Eve, which just sounded ridiculous, but they were having company and she wanted everything to look perfect. Scott helped, not minding in the least, because being able to wear short sleeves in December is one of the perks that came with moving to California.  In fact, the warm weather they are having right now is what Scott had expected for winter when they moved here, and had been quite disappointed to find that more often than not, sixty degree days were about as warm as it got throughout the winter around here. 

It’s nearly eighty degrees today and Scott tells Mr. Rodriguez that it’s been so warm in the evenings that he’s slept with his windows open the past few nights.

Benny perks up when he hears this and leans in to listen to his dad and Scott’s conversation.

“… really that warm, you say?  Well, I suppose I should give the mower a check tonight. No doubt Mr. Hirsch next door will be cutting his lawn soon, and just once I’d like to beat him to it.” 

Scott laughs and feels oddly proud that he’s able to hold a real conversation with Benny’s dad.  “Yeah, our neighbor, Mr. Paulson, came out when we were about half way done and started on his lawn.  He gave us dirty looks the entire time we were out there.”

“Do you think it’ll be that warm tonight?”  Benny asks.

“I think so.  Why?”

Benny hesitates for just a second.  “I thought maybe…if it’s going to be that warm…we could sleep in the treehouse tonight.”  He’s decidedly not looking at Scott when he speaks, instead looking only at his dad.

Scott starts to answer, “Sure…” before he makes the connection of Benny’s odd behavior and the words he’s saying.  The treehouse. Where it would just be the two of them there, all alone, no one to interrupt…

Scott draws a sharp breath and nearly chokes on the bite of bread he just swallowed.  Benny pounds him on the back asking if he’s alright and Benny’s brother hands Scott his milk.

“Are you alright, Scott?”  Mr. Rodriguez asks.

“Fine.  I’m fine,” Scott rasps and takes a few big gulps of his drink and looks around to see the entire Rodriguez family staring at him before chancing a glance at Benny.

Benny’s still not looking at him, but his cheeks are tinged pink when he looks over to his mom.  “So can we, Mom? It’ll keep us out of your hair,” he adds helpfully.

“I suppose so, as long as it’s okay with Mrs. Smalls.  Make sure you take an extra blanket just in case,” she answers.  She looks over at Scott, concerned, and asks, “Are you sure you’re okay?” Everyone is staring at him; even Benny’s brother who’s sitting across from him looks worried, so he must still look as frazzled as he feels.

Benny’s hand is still on his back from before, his thumb tracing the bumps along his spine, low and out of sight.  And how is Scott supposed to answer while he’s doing that? As if  he’d said the words out loud, Benny pulls his hand away.  Scott takes a steadying breath and informs the table that he really is okay and takes a large bite of lasagna to prove his point.

Convinced that Scott is not about to keel over at the table, the Rodriguez’s return to their meals, everyone quiet for a few moments until Benny’s parents start talking to each other about what all is left to unpack from their trip.

Benny leans over to murmur quietly, “Was that okay to ask?” and Scott turns to see that Benny looks worried, like maybe he went too far.  Like maybe he’s asking for more than Scott’s willing to give.   And nothing could be further from the truth.  It’s not like he’s all that thrilled with his reaction in front of Benny’s family, but he’s definitely on board with the plan. 

“Yeah, of course,” Scott answers as evenly as he can so he doesn’t attract attention to their conversation.  “It’s been forever and it is really nice outside,” he adds to draw attention away from what they’re really talking about.  Benny’s brother is still watching him, like he’s trying to figure something out, but after a minute shrugs and goes back to working on consuming the enormous serving of lasagna he served himself. Scott chances a small smile to make sure he got his point across and when he makes eye contact with Benny, the heated glance Benny gives back goes straight to Scott’s thighs.

Dinner—thankfully—finishes quickly after that and Mrs. Rodriguez lets Benny go without having to wash the dishes so he can get his stuff together while Scott runs home.  And he’s glad to get away for a few minutes to get his head on straight after what has turned out to be the most stressful dinner he has ever sat through.

He’s not nervous, exactly.  It feels more like…anticipation, if Scott has to put a name on it.  He wants…well, he wants Benny, in every way he knows, and some ways he’s only beginning to understand.  It’s not like he’s able to find much information that pertains to him and Benny, but they’ve gotten on just fine so far, and Scott’s not worried about what’s to come.  It’s Benny, and as long as they’re together everything will be just fine.

By the time he gets to his own house, he’s feeling calmer than he has all day, so when he finds his mom in the kitchen to tell her his plans, he’s surprised by the way her shoulders stiffen and the calculating looks she gives him when he tells her that he and Benny are going to stay in the treehouse tonight.  They’ve had more sleepovers than he can count over the years; at each other’s houses as well as the treehouse.  There’s no reason to think that she’d start saying no now. It’s not like she knows how things are with Benny.

“I don’t know, Scott, it's December. It’s not really treehouse weather, is it?”  His mom asks.

“It’s seventy-five degrees outside.  I don’t think that we’ll freeze to death,” Scott answers quickly and pushes aside any errant thoughts about how they might stay warm if it does cool down.

“Is anyone else going along?” she asks carefully, like she’s really trying to ask something else, but it’s not as if they’ve ever caused any trouble when they’ve stayed there, no matter how many of the gang have been around. He’s never given her a reason to not let him go.

Scott tries to downplay the fact that it will just be him and Benny.  The last thing he wants to do is arouse any suspicion. “I don’t think so.  Squint’s still at his grandparents’, and I think Yeah-Yeah’s grounded for getting such a crappy grade in math.  Benny might have called Ham, maybe, but I don’t know,” he adds in a rush.  He doesn’t like to lie to his mom, but he doesn’t know what he’ll do if she says he can’t go.

His mom watches him for a minute, and Scott does his best not to squirm under her scrutiny. He feels sweat collect along his brow as he waits to hear her decision.

After what feels like hours his mom sighs and steps closer to rest her hand on his shoulder.  He’s almost as tall as she is now and she looks right at him with soft eyes. “I suppose you can go,” she tells him, and relief floods through Scott. “You and Benny be careful, alright?” 

Scott tries and fails to not roll his eyes. “Sure, mom.  What do you think is going to happen?”

Scott’s mom smiles at that and shakes her head before she turns back to pull the cookies she was working on when Scott arrived out of the oven. “You just keep growing up.  I suppose it’s time for me to get used to it.”

Scott’s not sure what his growing up has to do with their conversation, but he’s allowed to go, and that’s what’s important.

He leans in to give his mom a quick kiss on the cheek as thanks and takes off to his room to grab his sleeping bag and duffel and to change into sweatpants and a t-shirt.

He races down the steps with the intention of making a beeline for the door, but his mom’s waiting for him at the bottom.  She’s still looking at him funny, but she just tells him to be careful again and hands him a Tupperware container holding some of the still warm cookies she just made.

He’s not sure why he does it, but for some reason Scott slows down long enough to pull his mom into a hug.  “Thanks,” he says quietly into her hair.  Her eyes seem a little shiny when he pulls back, but Scott chalks it up to her having a ‘mom moment’ and this time when he rolls his eyes he doesn’t even try to hide it.

He’s strapping his bed roll onto the back of his bike when Benny pedals up the driveway.  “Aren’t you ready yet?” he asks, but Benny’s not even got all the words out before Scott’s pulling the cords tight and throwing his leg over to climb onto the seat.

He thinks about telling Benny how his mom was acting weird, but decides against it.  Benny looks nervous, his fingers gripping his handlebars tightly, and Scott almost laughs.  How can Benny be nervous _now_ after all that teasing he did at the dinner table?

Grinning, he pushes off and lets his bike roll up beside Benny, knocking their front tires together. “Race you there?” Scott asks but doesn’t give Benny a chance to agree before racing off down the road.

He hears Benny yell out after him, but Scott doesn’t slow down.  Benny’s fast, and Scott had no doubt that Benny will catch him soon no matter how big of a lead he has.  Sure enough, Benny flies past him a minute later, slowing for just a second to laugh at Scott before he picks up the pace and leaves Scott in the dust.

But Scott doesn’t mind being laughed at.  His heart swells as he races after Benny, because he knows that no matter how long it takes him to get there, Benny will be waiting for him.

By the time he catches up, Benny is already off his bike and grabbing his sleeping bag. 

“Cheater,” Benny yells out when Scott gets close enough to hear him.

Laughing, Scott waits until he’s hopped off and parked his bike against the tree to answer.  “It didn’t help much, did it?  You still beat me by a mile.”

Benny shrugs and steps forward to help Scott untie his stuff from the back of his bike.  “What can I say?  I was in a hurry to get here.”

 “Yeah, me too.” Scott’s cheeks flush but he hopes that Benny will write it off as coming from the exertion of the race over.

Benny beams at him and walks over to help Scott get his gear. Benny tosses Scott’s duffle over his shoulder along with his own and starts for the treehouse.  Scott rolls his eyes and follows with his bedroll.  He’s not a girl; he can carry his own bag, but Benny’s been doing stuff like that for as long as Scott’s known him, so he knows it’s not worth the argument.   Actually, Benny only does it for Scott and, now that he thinks about it, maybe he should have clued into Benny’s feelings for him a long time ago.  It doesn’t really matter now, he supposes.  They got there in the end.

Scott looks around when he finally wrangles his bedroll through the opening at the top of the ladder.  He remembers when he first saw the treehouse, how enormous it felt, how far he could see when he looked out the side.  He felt like a king looking over his kingdom.  Now when he stands up his head practically touches the roof and his kingdom feels a lot smaller than it did when he was eleven.

Benny’s still here though, and that feels as good now as it ever has.

When he looks over at Benny, Benny’s watching him with a fond look on his face.  “You’re thinking sappy thoughts again, aren’t you?” He steps up beside Scott and wraps an arm around his waist to pull Scott in close.

Scott turns into the embrace and presses a soft kiss to Benny’s lips.  “Maybe,” Scott admits and rests his hands on Benny’s hips.  “Are you gonna make fun of me if I am?”

Benny lifts his hand and runs his fingers along Scott’s jawline and smiles softly.  “Nah, I love how sentimental you are.”

Scott’s breath catches in his throat for a second before Benny leans forward to kiss him, and Scott presses closer for more.  They haven’t really talked about love.  Scott knows he loves Benny and he’s pretty sure Benny loves him, maybe even as much as baseball, but neither of them has ever used the word out loud.  They haven’t ever really needed to, but Scott wants to; he wants Benny to know for sure.  And not just because they’re here alone tonight, but every day, and he can’t imagine ever feeling different.

Scott pulls back and takes in the kissed red lips, and how open and vulnerable Benny’s eyes look. “I love you,” Scott says, and he’s happy that his voice sounds as steady as it does. He’s not nervous to say it, and he doesn’t want Benny to think that he is.

Benny leans forward and rests his forehead against Scott’s.  “I know.  I love you too.”

And it’s not like Scott didn’t know that, but he’s still embarrassed by the tears that collect in the corners of his eyes when Benny says the words.  When he looks up he sees Benny’s eyes are shiny as well, and Scott’s glad that Benny’s as big of a sap as he is.

This time when he kisses Benny, it’s urgent, pouring all of the feelings coursing through him into it.  He runs his hands up Benny’s back, under his shirt, and revels in the smooth, warm skin under his palms.  He feels more than hears Benny’s moan and Scott is so caught up in the feeling of Benny’s hands sliding up his sides, of his tongue licking into his mouth, that it takes a minute to realize that Benny is pulling on Scott’s shirt, lifting it until it’s stuck under his armpits.

Scott puts enough space between them that he can grab his shirt and pull it clumsily over his head.  Benny’s eyes are dark and darting from Scott’s face to his chest, like he can’t decide where to look.  Scott tugs on the bottom of Benny’s shirt and whispers, “You too.”  Benny nods and pulls his shirt off in one smooth motion.  And, sure, Scott’s seen Benny without his shirt plenty of times, but this is the first time he’s been able to really  _touch_ , and that’s a whole new thrill.

Before he can even think to be nervous, Scott presses his hand to the center of Benny’s chest; sliding it up the hard, smooth plane to run his fingers across his collarbone.  He wants to explore every inch of Benny,  his palm rounding over the broad curve of Benny’s shoulder before sliding around to his back to pull him closer, pressing their bare chests together. It’s overwhelming, and Scott gasps at the contact. 

Benny’s pressing hot kisses to Scott’s neck as soon as he’s close enough, completely distracting Scott from his exploration of Benny’s back.  He wants to memorize the hard lines of his shoulder blades, the feel of every bump of his spine, but he loses focus as Benny mouths his way along Scott’s jaw.

“God, Scott,”  Benny whispers against Scott’s skin, wrapping his arms around Scott; his warm hands running along Scott’s spine and pulling their bodies tightly together.

Scott nods in agreement and shivers when their hips meet and he feels Benny’s hardness pressing against his own. The groan he lets out at the contact gets cut off when Benny presses their mouths together so forcefully they’re nearly knocked off balance. When Benny throws a hand out to grab the center post to steady them, Scott doesn’t even attempt to hold back his laugh. 

Scott pulls back enough to see Benny smiling too and, this time, when he shivers he’s not sure if it’s seeing Benny with his pupils huge and looking at Scott like he can’t believe this is real or if it’s the cool evening breeze blowing in.  Whatever the reason, it’s enough for Benny to step away and say, “We should probably roll out the sleeping bags before it gets too dark.”

Even though it’s a good idea, Scott holds on a moment longer before he lets out a deep breath and turns to grab his bedroll.  He struggles with the knot that always ends up in the old shoelace he uses to keep it rolled up before he turns back around and sees that Benny has unzipped his sleeping bag and is laying it open on the floor.  He looks at Scott and actually blushes as he points to Scott’s and says, “I thought we could use yours as a cover.”

“Yeah, all right,” Scott replies, fighting his own blush as he gets his unzipped and lays it out on top of Benny’s. 

When he stands back up, he and Benny just stare at each other, giving Scott’s nerves time to climb back up to the surface.  He’s not scared; he wants this, and he doesn’t want Benny to think he’s changed his mind.  He’s never been so sure about anything.

Thinking maybe it’s his turn to be the brave one, Scott keeps his eyes on Benny as he reaches down to his waistband and unties the string holding his sweatpants up and then pushes them down his hips, letting them drop to the floor. It’s worth it to see Benny’s eyes get wide and hear the sharp breath he takes as he looks at Scott standing there in his underpants, his erection obvious.

His embarrassment only lasts as long as it takes for Benny to shake himself into action and undo the buttons and pull down the zipper on his jeans. Scott struggles to get his sneakers and his sweatpants off from around his ankles without looking away from Benny; watching him slide his jeans down to reveal the light blue boxers he always wears,  taking in the pink flush working its way down his chest as he kicks off his shoes to slides his jeans off.  He can’t help staring at the way Benny’s boxers tent out from his hips or the damp spot starting to form in the front.  Scott’s already worked up, but seeing how affected Benny is by Scott sends a shock of arousal through him that nearly overwhelms him.

They stand there until Benny’s the one to finally look away, shaking his head like he’s trying to clear it before looking back at Scott and smiling the quiet, small smile that Scott knows  is only for him.

It’s all the encouragement Scott needs to bend down and pull the covers back to climb into their makeshift bed, Benny just a step behind; both of them shifting and adjusting until they’re both on their sides facing each other and the covers are up around their shoulders.  The covers are cool, and it’s not like Scott needs an excuse, so he doesn’t hesitate to scoot closer to Benny and his warmth. Even when they were just friends, Benny was always willing to let Scott close, letting him take advantage of the heat Benny always seems to give off when it got cold on the bench or when they were walking home after dark.

Benny huffs a laugh like he knows what Scott’s thinking and wraps his arm around Scott’s shoulder to rub a warm hand up and down Scott’s back. It brings them even closer together, tucking Scott’s head into Benny’s neck and his hands between their chests.

“This alright?” Benny asks, his face so close Benny can feel the warm breath of his words ghosting across his cheek.

“Yeah,”  Scott answers, lifting his head enough to brush his mouth over Benny’s. He shifts enough to move his arms so he can wrap one around Benny’s waist and tuck the other under the pillow they’re sharing.  “It’s perfect,” he adds before kissing Benny properly this time.

Benny’s an enthusiastic kisser, which has always been great for Scott’s confidence. Scott loves the soft sounds and quiet moans that Benny makes when they kiss, but he’s not prepared for how affected he is by the gasp Benny makes when their hips press together. Scott’s hips jerk in response to the feeling of Benny pressed hot and hard against his erection. He’s dizzy with want and doesn’t even think to be nervous as he moves his hand down to Benny’s butt to pull him closer to get the friction he desperately needs.

It feels amazing, and Scott thinks he could lose himself in Benny’s kisses, and the hot pressure making heat pool in his belly that could end this really fast. But as the hand on Benny’s butt grasps at the fabric of Benny’s boxers, his mind registers that they’re both still in their underwear.  And though it’s a huge improvement over the many layers of padding between them they had last time, Scott doesn’t want anything between them now.  Here, alone in this place with Benny, he doesn’t want anything holding them back.

Benny lets out a little whine when Scott pulls back and holds Scott a little tighter in protest until he realizes what Scott’s trying to do.  Scott tugs on the waistband of Benny’s boxers, pulling one side down his hip, and whispers, “Okay?”

“God, yes,” Benny groans in reply and reaches out to hook his fingers into the elastic of Scott’s underpants.  It’s awkward, but neither seems willing to let go of the other to remove their own clothing. The covers slide down with all the moving and twisting they’re doing, but Scott couldn’t be farther from cold right now and the cool evening air feels good on his hot, flushed skin.  It also gives him the advantage of getting to watch Benny when they finally break apart to kick their own underwear off the rest of the way, and see all of him for the first time in the soft light of dusk. Benny is so beautiful, tan skin and lean muscle, eyes that seem to be able to see inside Scott’s soul. Scott is nearly overwhelmed by how much he loves him.

Benny slowly gazes down Scott’s body like he’s trying to memorize him, and Scott would blush at the attention if he weren’t already so flushed in the first place. He doesn’t get a chance to feel self-conscious before Benny is wrapping himself around Scott and pressing their bodies together. Scott wraps his arms around Benny and shifts until Benny is on top of him and every inch of them is pressed together.  Their knees knock together and one of Benny’s arms is uncomfortably wedged under Scott’s back, but it feels amazing. They kiss and kiss and Scott spreads his legs enough for Benny to settle between them.  It’s hot and slick between them and Scott feels like he’s soaring, only the weight of Benny’s body keeping him from flying away. 

Benny’s rocking against him now in earnest and Scott can feel the pressure building at the base of his spine, slowly spreading outward.  His hands grab hard at Benny’s bare backside and his hips raise to meet every thrust. 

Benny’s breathing heavy, mouthing at whatever spot he can reach on Scott’s face between murmuring things like _Oh God_ and _so good_ and _love you, love you._

It’s only a few more thrusts before Benny stills, his face mashed into Scott’s neck and he lets out a deep, shuddering groan, warm wetness filling the space between them.  It’s the hottest thing Scott’s ever heard and it’s only a few short, slick thrusts and Scott’s coming too, holding tight to Benny so he doesn’t fly apart with the force of it.

Even after, he can’t stop touching Benny. Scott runs his hands up and down Benny’s back, and presses kisses into his shoulder.  He’s not ready to break the connection just yet.  Benny doesn’t seem to be in a hurry either, he just shifts enough so that Scott can breathe easier and brings a hand up to stroke Scott’s face.

Benny opens his mouth like he’s going to say something but, after a few false starts, he just huffs a breath and smiles at Scott.

Scott smiles back at Benny and gives a little nod.  He gets it.  He’s not sure he’s able to come up with words that describe how incredible he feels at this moment either.

They lay there like that, just smiling and looking at each other, as the sun drops below the trees. A small part of Scott’s brain is telling him that they are ridiculous, but Scott can’t make himself care. He wants this moment to last forever.  Until Benny shifts and the mess between them, now tacky and cooling quickly, makes itself known.  Benny’s smile shifts into a grimace and Scott has to agree. 

Scott thinks his t-shirt is close by and flails his arm out blindly to search, not wanting to move away from Benny. He gives a little cheer of success when his fingers catch on the soft cotton and Benny snorts a laugh, but he places a soft kiss on Scott’s cheek so Scott doesn’t really mind.

It’s awkward and a little embarrassing cleaning up; Scott wipes up the biggest part of the mess since it’s mostly on his belly, but then he fold the shirt and hands it to Benny so he can clean up.

With the sun now almost completely down, the temperature has dropped and this time Scott’s shiver is definitely due to the chill in the air. Benny tosses the t-shirt off to the side and scoots right up against Scott.

“I didn’t think how cold it might get tonight.” Benny says apologetically. “Do you want to go back to the house?”

“No,” Scott answers before Benny even finishes his sentence, and moves to press in closer.  He can feel _all_ of Benny against him and, even though a flash of arousal warms his belly, he can’t help feel a little shy now.

“No,” Scott repeats, “I want to stay here.” He presses a quick kiss to Benny’s jaw before continuing. “But maybe we can put our pants back on so we’re not cold in the night?”

Benny agrees and they both let out a little yelp as they pull back the cover fully exposing them to the night air.  Scott ‘s underwear and sweatpants are right beside him so he quickly pulls them on.  Benny has to get up and grab his sweats out of his bag and Scott shamelessly admires him as he stands to get them.  Benny looks over and there is enough moonlight for Scott to see Benny roll his eyes, but he doesn’t try to cover himself while he digs through his duffle.

Scott doesn’t bother with a shirt.  The one he wore here is ruined (Which he quickly realizes he might just have to pitch in the dumpster on the way home. It’s not like he can put it in his laundry for his mom to wash.) and he likes the idea of getting to feel Benny skin to skin while they sleep.

Scott lays back down and deliberately keeps the cover down, even though he’s getting cold, so Benny can see that he didn’t put a shirt back on.  When he looks back up at Benny, he’s got his sweats pulled up and a t-shirt in his hand, but when Scott smiles at him and motions for Benny to get back under the covers, he drops it back in his bag and crawls in and pulls the cover up over them both.

They move immediately back together, arms wrapping around each other.  They both hiss at their cold skin connecting, but neither move away and they rub their hands over each other’s skin until it feels warm enough to be comfortable again.

Now that he’s warm and relaxed, Scott can’t help the yawn that escapes.  Of course, that sets Benny off and Scott has never known anyone who yawns as loud as Benny does.

“You sound like a bear when you do that,” Scott teases, but kisses Benny’s shoulder to soften it.

Benny sticks his cold nose in Scott’s ear for a second before replying, “Shut up. You know I can’t help it,” but he can’t keep the smile out of his voice.

“I know,” Scott replies.  And he does know. He likes knowing as much about Benny as he does, and that Benny knows just as much about him.

He squeezes Benny a little tighter for a moment before he moves to shift them both to get a little more comfortable.  Benny likes to sleep on his back, so Scott pushes on his shoulder until he’s flat and then scootches over until he’s got his front pressed up against Benny’s side, tucking his head into Benny’s neck and shoulder and wrapping his arm around him.

“This okay?” Scott asks, just to make sure.  He feels content and excited to get to sleep next to Benny like this for the whole night, and hopefully a lot more nights like this, but he wants to make sure Benny feels the same way.

Benny presses a kiss to Scott’s forehead and bring his arm up to lay over Scott’s. “Yeah,”  he murmurs. “It’s perfect.”

It really is.

 

 

**I Love You With All My Heart**

When things are changing all around us

and the world seems to move too fast,

don't forget, I'll be right beside you.

So when you look ahead to future changes,

or think about how the past used to be,

Don't forget to look beside you

because that's where you'll find me loving you

with all my heart.

That's one thing you can count on

that will never change!!!!

  **S**.  **L . Y.**

 

 

 

 

 


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